Information on Loughborough

Colourful boost for empty shop fronts in Loughborough

Posted on 17/02/2010
newsdesk

A project has been launched to brighten up empty shop fronts in Loughborough by adorning them with colourful poster-style images promoting different aspects of the town.

The Town Centre Partnership has got together with Charnwood Borough Council to provide landlords with large vinyl frames to accommodate the images.

A pilot was carried out in December in an empty window at Bird, Wilford and Sale , Solicitors in Churchgate which promoted the 12 Days of Christmas Campaign and, based on its success, the Town Centre Partnership and Charnwood Borough Council are investing in 25 more frames which can be placed in any empty shop windows around the town.

The success of the project relies on the take-up from local landlords – the first 25 to sign up will receive them free of charge, to brighten up their premises.

Adrian McInnes, chairman of the Loughborough Town Centre Partnership, said: “Empty shops can give a place a sense of gloom as people end up looking into voids, but by brightening up the windows we can create a much more colourful and cheerful environment and promote pride in the town centre.”

Jenny Bokor, Cabinet Member for Change Management at Charnwood Borough Council, said: “We would like to encourage landlords to get in touch and find out more about this exciting scheme.

“These frames give us a real opportunity to brighten up Loughborough and promote some of the wonderful aspects of the town and initiatives that go on here.

“We aim to ‘Achieve more by Working Together’ and, once this scheme is underway, we hope to extend ideas for brightening up our shop fronts and potentially show artwork from local students and artists etc.”

Things the images will promote will include Loughborough in Bloom, information about Charnwood Arts, an insight into the town’s history and advertising forthcoming events.

The £5,000 scheme has been jointly funded by Loughborough Town Centre Partnership and Charnwood Borough Council.

Talks are currently taking place with schools with a view to getting youngsters to design the images which will go in the frames.

If you are would like to find out more, or are interested in obtaining a frame, call 01509 634746 or email: info@loughboroughtowncentre.com